What Is Air Pollution

The term air pollution is used so commonly that you may not think definitions are necessary. But the issue is more complicated than it first appears.   Ask most people to define air pollution, and their first response is to describe  smog,  the smelly stuff that turns the air brown or gray and hovers over urban centers like Los Angeles, Mexico City, and Beijing. Even here, though, definitions vary. Some sources define smog as the presence of unnatural levels of ground-level ozone, while other sources say things like fog mixed with smoke. A more modern and precise definition is a photochemical haze caused by the action of solar ultraviolet radiation on atmosphere polluted with hydrocarbons and oxides of nitrogen especially from automobile exhaust. Officially, air pollution can be defined as the presence of harmful substances in the air, either particulates or microscopic biologic molecules, that pose health hazards to living organisms, such as people, animals or plants. Air pollution comes in many  forms and may include a number of different pollutants and toxins in various combinations. Air pollution is far more than a nuisance or inconvenience. According to the World Health Organization, air pollution causes the deaths of approximately 4.2 million people annually worldwide. What Constitutes Air Pollution? The two most widespread types of air pollution are the  ozone  and particle pollution (soot), but air pollution also may include serious pollutants such as carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxide, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and toxins such as mercury, arsenic, benzene, formaldehyde, and acid gases. Most of these pollutants are man-made, but some air pollution is due to natural causes, such as ash from volcanic eruptions.   The specific composition of air pollution in a particular location depends primarily on the source or sources of pollution. Automobile exhaust, coal-fired power plants, industrial factories, and other pollution sources all spew different types of pollutants and toxins into the air. While we think of air pollution as a condition describing outside air, the air quality within your home is equally important. Cooking vapors, carbon monoxide from heating appliances, off-gassing of formaldehyde and other chemicals from furniture and construction materials, and secondhand tobacco smoke are all potentially dangerous forms of indoor air pollution.   Air Pollution and Your Health Air pollution hovers at unhealthy levels in almost every major U.S. city, interfering with people’s ability to breathe, causing or aggravating many serious health conditions, and placing lives at risk. Many cities worldwide face the same issues, especially in so-called emerging economies such as China and India, where cleaner technologies are not yet in standard usage.   Breathing ozone, particle pollution or other types of air pollution can seriously damage your health. Inhaling ozone can irritate your lungs, resulting in something like a bad sunburn within the lungs, according to the American Lung Association. Breathing particle pollution (soot) can increase your risk of heart attack, stroke and early death, and it may necessitate emergency-room visits for people with asthma, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. A great many cancers are traced to chemical air pollutants.   Air pollution is also a problem in developing countries that are not yet fully industrialized. More than half the worlds population still cook their meals with wood, dung, coal or other solid fuels over open fires or on primitive stoves inside their homes, breathing high levels of pollutants such as particulate pollution and carbon monoxide, which results in 1.5 million unnecessary deaths every year. Who Is Most at Risk? The health risks of air pollution are greatest among infants and young children, older adults and people with respiratory diseases such as asthma. People who work or exercise outside also face increased health risks from the effects of air pollution, along with people who live or work near busy highways, factories or power plants. In addition, minorities and people with low incomes are often disproportionately affected by air pollution because of where they live, which places them at higher risk for illnesses related to air pollution. Low-income populations often live near industrial or inner-city zones where factories, utilities, and other industrial sources may create unusually high levels of air pollution.   Air Pollution and the Health of the Planet If air pollution affects humans, it of course also may also have an impact on animals and plant life. Many animal species are threatened by high levels of air pollution, and weather conditions created by air pollution affect both animal and plant life. For example, acid rain caused by the  burning  of fossil fuels has radically changed the nature of forests in the U.S. Northeast, upper  Midwest, and Northwest. And it is now indisputable that air pollution causes shifts in global weather patterns — the  raising  of global temperatures, the melting of polar ice sheets and the coming rise in ocean water levels.   How Can Air Pollution Be Reduced? The evidence is clear that our personal choices and industrial practices can affect the levels of air pollution. Cleaner industrial technologies are shown to lower air pollution levels, and it can be demonstrated that anytime more primitive industrial practices increase, so do levels of dangerous air pollution. Here are some of the obvious ways that humans can, and have reduced air pollution:   Reduction of fossil fuel burning in favor of renewable energy sources. Nations that obtain their electrical power from nuclear, hydroelectric, solar and wind power have lower pollution levels than those that favor the burning of coal or natural gas.  Improved gas mileage in automobiles and the introduction of electric-powered vehicles. California, for example, once plagued with dangerous smog, has greatly improved its air quality through tight controls on automobile emissions standards. Similarly, reduction in the use of other internal combustion engines can reduce air pollution. The shift to battery-operated or electric lawn mowers and lawn equipment, for example, has a demonstrable effect on air quality.  Reduction in agricultural burning — the method of clearing forested areas for agriculture — can reduce the level of smoke and carbon dioxide in the air. This is a particular problem in developing countries.  Reducing wood burning can also reduce levels of smoke in the air. In some communities, wood fireplaces are now outlawed, greatly reducing dangerous levels of smoke in the air. Gas fireplaces are better than wood-burners, and even better are electric fireplaces that burn no fuels at all.  Indoor air quality is improved when tobacco smoking is restricted by ordinance. Citizen pressure to restrict smoking in public places has a real effect on air quality.  Reduction of chemical compounds in paints, adhesives, and solvents has improved the quality of indoor and outdoor air. Always look for low VOC materials for home improvements, and where practical, opt for water-based rather than solvent-based paints and other materials. Look for carpets, fabrics, and furniture that dont off-gas dangerous fumes.   Controlling pollution is possible, but it requires the individual and political will to do so, and these efforts must constantly be balanced with economic realities, as green technologies are often more expensive, especially when they are first introduced. Such choices are in the hands of each individual: for example, do you buy a cheap but dirty automobile or an expensive electric car? Or are jobs for coal miners more important than clean air?  These complex questions are not easily answered by individuals or governments, but they are questions that should be considered and debated with eyes open to the real effects of air pollution.

Contemporary Issues Of Accounting ( Theory ) Essay

Contemporary Issues in Accounting (Theory) One of the most debatable or contentious issues in the accounting is measurement. While the objective of general purpose financial reporting is to generate information that is beneficial to decision makers external to the organization, there is no agreement on the most appropriate measurement to use. The various stakeholders in this field continue to disagree on the most suitable measurement model to use to achieve the objective of general purpose accounting. In addition, many new students beginning their studies in this profession are increasingly unaware that they will come across different measurement models in their studies. Actually, most of them assume that measurement of something will be the least of their problems. However, measurement remains one of the major issues that they will need to address throughout their program of study. In order to understand the measurement dilemma in accounting for first year students, it is vita l to examine the nature of measurement. What is Measurement? Measurement can simply be defined as the act or process of measuring or calculating. The other synonyms of measuring include quantifying, weighting, a unit for stating the weight and size, and the dimension or degree of something. Measurement involves identifying an attribute of what to measure and deciding how to measure in terms of scale and unit. 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Why Should We Ban Gmos Free Essays

GMOs or genetically modified organisms have been a controversial term since the middle 1990s when the FDA approved the papaya to be genetically altered to save it from a worldwide virus leading to its demise. The rash and uneducated decision to save the papaya came without any form of long term effects to the delicate balance of our eco-system and populous. The problem with genetically modified foods is the potential unknown and the long term affects they very well potentially could propose. We will write a custom essay sample on Why Should We Ban Gmos? or any similar topic only for you Order Now According to a poll taken by CNBC on April 28th, 2011 eighty-two percent of Americans are against GMOs [1]. The long term effects are becoming more and more prevalent within our society as GMOs continue to be around longer and with more research being done the possibilities for harm increase daily. While I won’t deny the overall idea here has great potential such as potentially virus and fungi immune crops as well as drought resistant crops [2] the overall study and research on this subject is very limited and vague. The side effects of GMOs is already showing up in certain grains and beans such as chronic wasting of internal organs to rats fed genetically modified potatoes and large amounts of defects produced in rats being fed high a diet of herbicide resistant soybeans such as sterile babies and stunted birth [3]. I feel the decision to push heavily for GMOs and filling over seventy percent of American grocery stores with unlabeled GMOs [4] has largely to do with the tyrants who control the market such as Nestle, General Mills, PepsiCo, and Monsanto. While America is being controlled by such companies being the largest consumer of GMOs by over double any other continent or nation [5] while many others such as Japan, Australia, and many of the European Union have heavy restrictions or bans on such goods where consumer rejection has taken place forcing GMOs out. If eighty-two percent of America are against GMOs they must stand up for their beliefs and not be conquered by these tyrants. The FDA’s states, â€Å"Theoretically, genetic modifications have the potential to activate cryptic pathways synthesizing unknown or unexpected toxicants, or to increase expression from active pathways that ordinarily produce low or undetectable levels of toxicants. † The FDA encourages companies that are concerned about toxicity to â€Å"consult informally with the agency on testing protocols for whole foods when appropriate. )† meaning these laws are hardly enforced, if the company is concerned with toxicity they suggest testin g and do not require it [4]. In a bio technicians terms genetic modification is the insertion of a gene from a completely foreign and non-related species or organism using a virus or bacteria as a gateway entry into the cellular compound. These gateway and seemly harmless viruses and bacteria are now becoming active in humans due to large amounts of GMO consumption. This is also posing another problem by triggering other genes within the human body and DNA to bring about new allergens among many other things. The FDA refuses to require testing of GMO products claiming they have â€Å"not found it necessary to conduct, prior to marketing, routine safety reviews of whole foods derived from plants. † The FDA is also against labeling GMO products with the mind set of it creating a public concern and panic for goods that are safe to eat. Food manufacturers also worry that labeling GM products with warnings could cause food prices to rise and create uncalled for concern among consumers. † If there is so much concern for stating the potentially increasing side effects then GMOs should be taken off the market and a very in-depth and detailed study should be conducted for the next several years to really make sure this is a revolutionary step for the Earth and its people. How to cite Why Should We Ban Gmos?, Papers

Benthic and Pelagic Fauna in an Estuary During free essay sample

Abstract: : The purpose of studying the biological organisms in the MpenJati estuary- beach system is to distinguish between organisms and estimate diversity within the estuary found at different locations along the estuary-beach profile in accordance with factors affecting the daily routines of these marine life and other aspects in which these organisms concur with. The organisms found in these waters play an important role in the ecosystems they function in therefore it is imperative to seek a way to keep a close relationship between the estuary-beach systems to prevent reaks in the ecosystems. The goal of an estuary-beach system is to be able to sustain and diversify the life that exists in these biomes. Organisms that live in beach-estuary systems are phytoplankton, zooplankton and fish (in the water-column) and microphytobenthos, macrofauna and meiofauna which inhabit the sediment. The above mentioned organisms are the main organisms that drive ecosystem functioning in a beach-estuary system. We will write a custom essay sample on Benthic and Pelagic Fauna in an Estuary During or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page If the present environments had to disappear, there would be devastating effects not only in the biological sector but also the environmental and economical aspects. To avoid catastrophes among ecosystems, tests need to be performed in essence to keep the ecosystems from being harmed. If, for example, diatoms and dinoflagellates were to be removed from the food web due to certain chemical factors many organisms (mollusc larvae, copepods, etc) will not have a food supply therefore resulting in the extinction of many organisms. This leads to disruptions in the ecosystem. The preservation in estuaries is vital for the study of past life and climates, as well as present living organisms and the abiotic factors influencing them. Introduction: In the MpenJati beach-estuary system organisms that contribute to a variety of factors and ecosystem functioning include a diverse range of meiofauna, macrofauna, zooplankton, fish and other species that live in either a benthic or pelagic life-cycle. Meiofauna are a complex group of microscopic animals found in waters domineering along beach-estuarine systems. These organisms are benthic- they need a surface substrate to attach themselves onto e. g. sediments. Meiofauna mainly include nematodes, ploychaetes and harpacticoid copepods. Perissinotto Smit (2010). These organisms are important as they clean the waters they live in. Zooplankton organisms can be divided into the pelagic (living in the water-column) or the benthic phases depending on the stages of their life cycle. The animals life cycle that lie within the plankton are holoplankton and the ones that spend part of their life cycle in the plankton are meroplankton. Thurman (1997). Zooplankton includes copepods, mysids, amphipods as well as fish larvae, crabs and other benthic organisms. Macrofauna are organisms that can be seen with the naked eye. These organisms are not large enough to be termed megafauna but they are relatively larger than microtauna. Macrotauna marine animals include crabs, prawns, annelids, insects, amphipods and many other coastal-estuarine water dominated marine species. Many of these organisms are human food sources. Fish are abundant in most bodies of water. Humans use fish as a food source. Fish exhibit the greatest diversity than any other class of vertebrates. Fish use estuarine waters for spawning. In estuarine systems one can expect to find mullets, gobiidae and clupeid species. Materials and Methods: The procedures at the location on the ocean-estuary-south was to seek information on the different locations that were sampled to account for the variations in not only the biotic factors but also the abiotic factors affecting the present closed beach-estuary system. Zooplankton. One sample was obtained using a hyperbenthic sled(40cm mouth diameter, 200pm mesh) pulled at a distance of 27m. The material collected in the cod- end is placed into a bottle, and fixed with 10% formalin. At the lab the sample was sub-divided in two, diluted with IL of water and rinsed through a sieve.